System and method for providing contents using automatic margin creation

ABSTRACT

A content providing method of a content providing system is executed on at least one computer and includes configuring a page to be provided in content, recognizing an area that is configured using a single color and has a size greater than or equal to a preset size by analyzing the final image that configures the page, and reconfiguring the final image by removing the recognized area.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATION(S)

This application claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 to Korean PatentApplication No. 10-2015-0047081 filed on Apr. 2, 2015, in the KoreanIntellectual Property Office (KIPO), the entire contents of which areincorporated herein by reference.

BACKGROUND

Field

One or more example embodiments of the present invention relate to asystem and a method for providing content using automatic margincreation.

Description of Related Art

This section provides background information related to the presentdisclosure which is not necessarily prior art.

The word “webtoon”, a synthetic word of “web” and “cartoon”, implies acartoon distributed by way of the Internet. For example, Korean PatentPublication No. 10-2006-0110587 discloses a cartoon service providingmethod and system using a network that creates a cartoon or read thecreated cartoon through a webpage including a cartoon authoring tool.

SUMMARY

This section provides a general summary of the disclosure, and is not acomprehensive disclosure of its full scope or all of its features.

Some example embodiments of the disclosure provide a content providingsystem, method, and/or non-transitory computer-readable medium thatprovide content including a motion effect by applying the motion effectto at least one layer on a page having a plurality of layers, andenhance a loading performance of providing content and reduce a networkusage rate by merging layers to which the motion effect is not appliedinto a single image.

Some example embodiments also provide a content providing system,method, and/or non-transitory computer-readable medium that configurecontent by automatically recognizing a preset size of an area having thesame color as a color of a background and by automatically segmentingand thereby storing a page based on the recognized area when a size ofthe page is greater than or equal to a preset size.

Some example embodiments also provide a content providing system,method, and/or non-transitory computer-readable medium that reduce aresource size of a final image and a network usage rate, and enhance aloading performance by removing a specific color of an area from thefinal image and by providing content to display a color of a backgroundset to a service page on which content such as webtoons is displayedthrough the removed area, when at least a preset size of an area havingthe specific color is present on the final image.

According to at least one example embodiment, there is provided acontent providing method of a content providing system, the method beingexecuted on at least one computer and comprising configuring a page tobe included in content, recognizing an area that is configured using asingle color and has a size greater than or equal to a preset size byanalyzing the final image that configures the page, and reconfiguringthe final image by removing the recognized area.

The single color may be the same as a color of a background set to aservice page on which the content is displayed, and the color of thebackground set to the service page may be displayed through a margincreated by removing the recognized area.

The content providing method may further include changing a color of abackground set to a service page on which the content is displayed, withthe single color, in response to the single color being different fromthe color of the background set to the service page. The changed colorof the background may be displayed through a margin created by removingthe recognized area.

The content providing method may further include recognizing a secondsize of an area having the same color as the color of the backgroundfrom the page in response to the size of the page being greater than orequal to a first size, and segmenting the page based on the recognizedsecond size of the area.

According to at least one example embodiment, there is provided anon-transitory computer-readable medium storing a program to implement acontent providing method comprising configuring a page to be included incontent, recognizing an area that is configured using a single color andhas a size greater than or equal to a preset size by analyzing the finalimage that configures the page, and reconfiguring the final image byremoving the recognized area.

In the non-transitory computer-readable medium, the single color may bethe same as the color of a background set to a service page on which thecontent is displayed, and the color of the background set to the servicepage is displayed through a margin created by removing the recognizedarea.

In the non-transitory computer-readable medium, the content providingmethod may further comprise changing the color of a background set to aservice page on which the content is displayed, with the single color,in response to the single color being different from the color of thebackground set to the service page, and the changed color of thebackground may be displayed through a margin created by removing therecognized area.

In the non-transitory computer-readable medium, the content providingmethod may further comprise recognizing the second size of an areahaving the same color as a color of a background from the page inresponse to the size of the page being greater than or equal to thefirst size, and segmenting the page based on the recognized second sizeof the area.

According to at least one example embodiment, there is provided acontent providing system configured as at least one computer, thecontent providing system comprising a page configurer which isconfigured to configure a page to be included in content, a marginalarea recognizer configured to recognize an area that is configured usinga single color and has a size greater than or equal to a preset size byanalyzing the final image that configures the page, and a reconfigurerwhich is configured to reconfigure the final image by removing therecognized area.

The single color may be the same as the color of a background set to aservice page on which the content is displayed, and the color of thebackground set to the service page may be displayed through a margincreated by removing the recognized area.

The content providing system may further include a color changerconfigured to change the color of a background set to a service page onwhich the content is displayed, with the single color, in response tothe single color being different from the color of the background set tothe service page. The changed color of the background may be displayedthrough a margin created by removing the recognized area.

The content providing system may further include a background recognizerconfigured to recognize a second size of an area having the same coloras the color of a background from the page in response to a size of thepage being greater than or equal to a first size; and a page segmenterconfigured to segment the page based on the recognized second size ofthe area.

According to example embodiments, it is possible to provide contentincluding a motion effect by applying the motion effect to at least onelayer on a page having a plurality of layers, and to enhance a loadingperformance of providing content and to reduce a network usage rate bymerging layers to which the motion effect is not applied into a singleimage.

Also, according to example embodiments, it is possible to configurecontent by automatically recognizing a preset size of an area having thesame color as the color of a background and by automatically segmentingand thereby storing a page based on the recognized area when the size ofthe page is greater than or equal to a preset size.

Also, according to example embodiments, it is possible to reduce aresource size of the final image and a network usage rate, and toenhance the loading performance by removing a specific color of an areafrom the final image and by providing content to display the color of abackground set to a service page on which content such as webtoons isdisplayed through the removed area, when the preset size of an areahaving the specific color is present on the final image.

Further areas of applicability will become apparent from the descriptionprovided herein. The description and specific examples in this summaryare intended for purposes of illustration only and are not intended tolimit the scope of the present disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE FIGURES

Example embodiments will be described in more detail with regard to thefigures, wherein like reference numerals refer to like parts throughoutthe various figures unless otherwise specified, and wherein:

FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrams illustrating examples of an operationenvironment of a content providing system according to exemplaryembodiments.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate examples explaining an authoring tool forcreating content according to exemplary embodiments.

FIGS. 5 through 7 illustrate examples of displaying a plurality oflayers according to exemplary embodiments.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example of automatically segmenting a pageaccording to one embodiment.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of automatically creating a marginaccording to another embodiment.

FIG. 10 illustrates another example of automatically creating a marginaccording to further embodiment.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating of a content providing systemaccording to an exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 12 is a flowchart illustrating a content providing method accordingto one embodiment.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating another content providing systemaccording to another exemplary embodiment.

FIG. 14 is a flowchart illustrating another content providing methodaccording to one embodiment.

It should be noted that these figures are intended to illustrate thegeneral characteristics of methods and/or structure utilized in certainexample embodiments and to supplement the written description providedbelow. These drawings are not, however, to scale and may not preciselyreflect the precise structural or performance characteristics of anygiven embodiment, and should not be interpreted as defining or limitingthe range of values or properties encompassed by example embodiments.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

One or more example embodiments of the present disclosure will bedescribed in detail with reference to the accompanying drawings. Exampleembodiments, however, may be embodied in various different forms, andshould not be construed as being limited to only the illustratedembodiments. Rather, the illustrated embodiments are provided asexamples so that this disclosure will be thorough and complete, and willfully convey the concepts of this disclosure to those skilled in theart. Accordingly, known processes, elements, and techniques, may not bedescribed with respect to some example embodiments. Unless otherwisenoted, like reference characters denote like elements throughout theattached drawings and written description, and thus descriptions willnot be repeated.

Although the terms “first,” “second,” “third,” etc., may be used hereinto describe various elements, components, regions, layers, and/orsections, these elements, components, regions, layers, and/or sections,should not be limited by these terms. These terms are only used todistinguish one element, component, region, layer, or section, fromanother region, layer, or section. Thus, a first element, component,region, layer, or section, discussed below may be termed a secondelement, component, region, layer, or section, without departing fromthe scope of this disclosure.

Spatially relative terms, such as “beneath,” “below,” “lower,” “under,”“above,” “upper,” and the like, may be used herein for ease ofdescription to describe one element or feature's relationship to anotherelement(s) or feature(s) as illustrated in the figures. It will beunderstood that the spatially relative terms are intended to encompassdifferent orientations of the device in use or operation in addition tothe orientation depicted in the figures. For example, if the device inthe figures is turned over, elements described as “below,” “beneath,” or“under,” other elements or features would then be oriented “above” theother elements or features. Thus, the example terms “below” and “under”may encompass both an orientation of above and below. The device may beotherwise oriented (rotated 90 degrees or at other orientations) and thespatially relative descriptors used herein interpreted accordingly. Inaddition, when an element is referred to as being “between” twoelements, the element may be the only element between the two elements,or one or more other intervening elements may be present.

As used herein, the singular forms “a,” “an,” and “the,” are intended toinclude the plural forms as well, unless the context clearly indicatesotherwise. It will be further understood that the terms “comprises”and/or “comprising,” when used in this specification, specify thepresence of stated features, integers, steps, operations, elements,and/or components, but do not preclude the presence or addition of oneor more other features, integers, steps, operations, elements,components, and/or groups, thereof. As used herein, the term “and/or”includes any and all combinations of one or more of the associatedlisted items. Expressions such as “at least one of,” when preceding alist of elements, modify the entire list of elements and do not modifythe individual elements of the list. Also, the term “exemplary” isintended to refer to an example or illustration.

When an element is referred to as being “on,” “connected to,” “coupledto,” or “adjacent to,” another element, the element may be directly on,connected to, coupled to, or adjacent to, the other element, or one ormore other intervening elements may be present. In contrast, when anelement is referred to as being “directly on,” “directly connected to,”“directly coupled to,” or “immediately adjacent to,” another elementthere are no intervening elements present.

Unless otherwise defined, all terms (including technical and scientificterms) used herein have the same meaning as commonly understood by oneof ordinary skill in the art to which example embodiments belong. Terms,such as those defined in commonly used dictionaries, should beinterpreted as having a meaning that is consistent with their meaning inthe context of the relevant art and/or this disclosure, and should notbe interpreted in an idealized or overly formal sense unless expresslyso defined herein.

Example embodiments may be described with reference to acts and symbolicrepresentations of operations (e.g., in the form of flow charts, flowdiagrams, data flow diagrams, structure diagrams, block diagrams, etc.)that may be implemented in conjunction with units and/or devicesdiscussed in more detail below. Although discussed in a particularlymanner, a function or operation specified in a specific block may beperformed differently from the flow specified in a flowchart, flowdiagram, etc. For example, functions or operations illustrated as beingperformed serially in two consecutive blocks may actually be performedsimultaneously, or in some cases be performed in reverse order.

Units and/or devices according to one or more example embodiments may beimplemented using hardware, software, and/or a combination thereof. Forexample, hardware devices may be implemented using processing circuitrysuch as, but not limited to, a processor, Central Processing Unit (CPU),a controller, an arithmetic logic unit (ALU), a digital signalprocessor, a microcomputer, a field programmable gate array (FPGA), aSystem-on-Chip (SoC), a programmable logic unit, a microprocessor, orany other device capable of responding to and executing instructions ina defined manner.

Software may include a computer program, program code, instructions, orsome combination thereof, for independently or collectively instructingor configuring a hardware device to operate as desired. The computerprogram and/or program code may include program or computer-readableinstructions, software components, software modules, data files, datastructures, and/or the like, capable of being implemented by one or morehardware devices, such as one or more of the hardware devices mentionedabove. Examples of program code include both machine code produced by acompiler and higher level program code that is executed using aninterpreter.

For example, when a hardware device is a computer processing device(e.g., a processor, Central Processing Unit (CPU), a controller, anarithmetic logic unit (ALU), a digital signal processor, amicrocomputer, a microprocessor, etc.), the computer processing devicemay be configured to carry out program code by performing arithmetical,logical, and input/output operations, according to the program code.Once the program code is loaded into a computer processing device, thecomputer processing device may be programmed to perform the programcode, thereby transforming the computer processing device into a specialpurpose computer processing device. In a more specific example, when theprogram code is loaded into a processor, the processor becomesprogrammed to perform the program code and operations correspondingthereto, thereby transforming the processor into a special purposeprocessor.

Software and/or data may be embodied permanently or temporarily in anytype of machine, component, physical or virtual equipment, or computerstorage medium or device, capable of providing instructions or data to,or being interpreted by, a hardware device. The software also may bedistributed over network coupled computer systems so that the softwareis stored and executed in a distributed fashion. In particular, forexample, software and data may be stored by one or more computerreadable recording mediums, including the tangible or non-transitorycomputer-readable storage media discussed herein.

According to one or more example embodiments, computer processingdevices may be described as including various functional units thatperform various operations and/or functions to increase the clarity ofthe description. However, computer processing devices are not intendedto be limited to these functional units. For example, in one or moreexample embodiments, the various operations and/or functions of thefunctional units may be performed by other ones of the functional units.Further, the computer processing devices may perform the operationsand/or functions of the various functional units without sub-dividingthe operations and/or functions of the computer processing units intothese various functional units.

Units and/or devices according to one or more example embodiments mayalso include one or more storage devices. The one or more storagedevices may be tangible or non-transitory computer-readable storagemedia, such as random access memory (RAM), read only memory (ROM), apermanent mass storage device (such as a disk drive), solid state (e.g.,NAND flash) device, and/or any other like data storage mechanism capableof storing and recording data. The one or more storage devices may beconfigured to store computer programs, program code, instructions, orsome combination thereof, for one or more operating systems and/or forimplementing the example embodiments described herein. The computerprograms, program code, instructions, or some combination thereof, mayalso be loaded from a separate computer readable storage medium into theone or more storage devices and/or one or more computer processingdevices using a drive mechanism. Such separate computer readable storagemedium may include a Universal Serial Bus (USB) flash drive, a memorystick, a Blu-ray/DVD/CD-ROM drive, a memory card, and/or other likecomputer readable storage media. The computer programs, program code,instructions, or some combination thereof, may be loaded into the one ormore storage devices and/or the one or more computer processing devicesfrom a remote data storage device via a network interface, rather thanvia a local computer readable storage medium. Additionally, the computerprograms, program code, instructions, or some combination thereof, maybe loaded into the one or more storage devices and/or the one or moreprocessors from a remote computing system that is configured to transferand/or distribute the computer programs, program code, instructions, orsome combination thereof, over a network. The remote computing systemmay transfer and/or distribute the computer programs, program code,instructions, or some combination thereof, via a wired interface, an airinterface, and/or any other like medium.

The one or more hardware devices, the one or more storage devices,and/or the computer programs, program code, instructions, or somecombination thereof, may be specially designed and constructed for thepurposes of the example embodiments, or they may be known devices thatare altered and/or modified for the purposes of example embodiments.

A hardware device, such as a computer processing device, may run anoperating system (OS) and one or more software applications that run onthe OS. The computer processing device also may access, store,manipulate, process, and create data in response to execution of thesoftware. For simplicity, one or more example embodiments may beexemplified as one computer processing device; however, one skilled inthe art will appreciate that a hardware device may include multipleprocessing elements and multiple types of processing elements. Forexample, a hardware device may include multiple processors or aprocessor and a controller. In addition, other processing configurationsare possible, such as parallel processors.

Although described with reference to specific examples and drawings,modifications, additions and substitutions of example embodiments may bevariously made according to the description by those of ordinary skillin the art. For example, the described techniques may be performed in anorder different with that of the methods described, and/or componentssuch as the described system, architecture, devices, circuit, and thelike, may be connected or combined to be different from theabove-described methods, or results may be appropriately achieved byother components or equivalents.

Hereinafter, example embodiments will be described with reference to theaccompanying drawings.

The example embodiments relate to a content providing system and acontent providing method that provide content capable of producing avariety of motion effects, and more particularly, to technology forenhancing the loading performance of loading a corresponding page incontent and reducing a network usage rate by merging, into an image,layers to which a motion effect is not set among a plurality of layersconstituting a single page and thereby creating the content. Further,example embodiments relate to technology for reducing the resource sizeof the final image by automatically segmenting a page having asignificantly large size or by automatically including a margin.

FIGS. 1 and 2 are diagrams illustrating examples of an operationenvironment of a content providing system according to the embodimentsof the present disclosure.

Referring to FIG. 1, a creator terminal 110 refers to a terminal used bya creator that creates content such as webtoons, and indicates a devicein which an authoring tool required to create content is installed andcapable of connecting to media 120 over a network and performingcommunication. The media 120 may indicate a server device that providesthe content of the creator to a user terminal 130 through a webpage oran exclusive tool or a plurality of server devices connected to eachother. The user terminal 130 indicates a device that requests the media120 for content, and receives and displays the requested content.

An example of providing content in FIG. 1 may proceed as follows:

(1) A creator may create content through an authoring tool installed inthe creator terminal 110. The authoring tool may be installed in thecreator tool 110 using a file that is downloaded through the media 120or a server associated with the media 120. The creator may create thecontent using the authoring tool.

(2) The creator terminal 110 may transmit the created content to themedia 120. For example, the media 120 may provide the creator terminal110 with a page through which the creator terminal 110 may upload thecontent. The creator terminal 110 may upload a file including thecontent using a file upload function of the provided page.

(3) The media 120 may apply the content to a webpage or an exclusivetool. For example, the media 120 may apply the content so that thecontent may be displayed through the webpage to which the content is tobe provided or the exclusive tool that enables a view of the content.

(4) The media 120 may provide the content through the webpage or theexclusive tool. For example, the user terminal 130 may request specificcontent through connection to a website of the media 120 or may requestthe media 120 for the specific content through the exclusive tool thatis installed in the user terminal 130 and enables a view of content. Inthis case, the media 120 may provide a webpage to which the requestedcontent is applied to the user terminal 130 or may provide the contentto be displayed through the exclusive tool installed in the userterminal 130.

Dissimilar to the example of FIG. 1, FIG. 2 illustrates an example inwhich the creator terminal 110 creates content through a web providingtool that is provided as an application on a web, instead of using theauthoring tool installed in the creator terminal 110 and the createdcontent is immediately uploaded to the media 120. In this instance, theprocess of providing the content uploaded to the media 120 to the userterminal 130 may proceed in the same manner as the foregoingdescription.

The content providing system according to the embodiments of the presentdisclosure may correspond to the creator terminal 110 in which theauthoring tool is installed or the media 120 that provides a webauthoring tool.

FIGS. 3 and 4 illustrate examples for explaining an authoring tool forcreating content according to the embodiments. FIG. 3 illustrates ascreen 300 on which interfaces of the authoring tool are displayed. Asingle item of content may be configured as one or more pages. A singlepage may be configured as one or more layers. The screen 300 displays aninterface capable of applying a variety of effects, for example, a“basic effect”, a “combined effect”, a “reproduction effect”, etc., toan image, for example, a wallpaper image, an object image, a text image,etc., that configures a single layer. For example, abstract informationsuch as a page identifier, still cuts of pages, etc., about pagesconstituting content may be included in a page list area 310. Further, astill cut of a single page among the pages constituting the content maybe displayed on a page display area 320. Information, such as a layeridentifier, an interface for determining whether to display a layer, alayer still cut, etc., about layers configuring the page displayed onthe page display area 320 may be displayed on a layer list area 330.Also, information about effects set to layers of the layer list area 330may be displayed on an effect display area 340.

A creator may simply set a desired effect by selecting a page and alayer and then pushing an effect button, for example, “move”, “turn”,“appear”, “shake”, etc., displayed on the upper portion of the screen300. Also, the creator may further precisely control and set individualeffects through the effect display area 340.

FIG. 4 illustrates a screen 400 on which a variety of preset detailedeffects, such as a point in time at which an effect is to be applied, arate at which an image moves in response to the effect, an iteration ofthe effect, etc., for the individual effects, are selected through theeffect display area 340. The selectable detailed effects may vary basedon an effect type.

Effects may include a motion effect for controlling the motion of animage. Further, the effects may include a variety of effects, forexample, an effect of causing the user terminal 130 to vibrate, aneffect of outputting a sound from the user terminal 130, and the like.

FIGS. 5 through 7 illustrate examples for displaying a plurality oflayers according to the embodiments.

FIG. 5 illustrates an example in which layers 511, 512, 513, 514, 515,516, 517, 518, and 519 are provided in the same shape with the samesize, and configure a single page 520.

Layers configuring a single page may also be provided using differentsizes and shapes. For example, FIG. 6 illustrates a layer 613 for abackground, a layer 612 in a shape of a speech bubble, and a layer 611for letters to be included in the speech bubble. Here, the layers 611,612, and 613 are combined to configure a single page 620.

FIG. 7 illustrates an example in which the effect “appear” is applied toa specific layer 712. In detail, FIG. 7 illustrates an example in whichonly two layers 711 and 713 are displayed when a front page 720 isdisplayed and a remaining layer 712 is displayed on a page 730 inresponse to the effect “appear” after a set period of time has elapsed.The motion effect may be set to at least one of a plurality of layersthat configures a page.

Referring again to FIG. 5, a motion effect is applied to two layers 513and 516 among the layers 511 through 519. That is, the motion effect isnot applied to the remaining layers 511, 512, 514, 515, 517, 518, and519.

Here, if all of layers are provided by setting the layers as individualimages, it may increase a network usage rate compared to an example ofproviding a single final image. Further, the loading performance may bedegraded when the user terminal 130 loads content. However, informationof each layer and information about an effect applied to each layer mayneed to be transferred to achieve a variety of effect displays.

Accordingly, according to the exemplary embodiments, there is providedtechnology for merging consecutive general layers among remaininggeneral layers excluding layers to which a motion effect is set.

For example, referring to FIG. 5, the content providing system accordingto the present embodiments may verify whether a motion effect is set tolayers sequentially from the bottom layer 519 to the top layer 511, maycreate a single merged image by merging consecutive layers to which themotion effect is not set, and may create layers to which the motioneffect is set into individual images, and thereby provide the createdimages. That is, the content providing system may create a single mergedimage by merging the layers 519, 518, and 517, and may create the layer516 to which the motion effect is applied into an individual image. Thecontent providing system may create a single merged image by merging thelayers 515 and 514, may create the layer 513 into an individual image,and may create a single merged image by merging the layers 512 and 511.

For example, instead of creating and thereby providing nine layers asnine images, the nine layers may be created into five images includingthree merged images and two individual images whereby the five imagesmay be provided.

Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the resource size of the finalimage and the network usage rate, and to enhance the loadingperformance.

FIG. 8 illustrates an example of automatically segmenting a page ofcontent according to one embodiment. FIG. 8 illustrates an example ofsegmenting a single page 810 into two pages 820 and 830 when the page810 has a size greater than or equal to a preset first size.

Referring to FIG. 8, the page 810 includes two display areas 840 and 850and a single speech balloon area 860 on the background of the page 810and the remaining area is configured as a display area 870 having thesame color as the color of the background. Here, the display area 870 isalso an image area having the same color as the color of the background.

When creating content, the content providing system (described belowwith respect to FIGS. 11 and 13) may recognize a second size of an areahaving the same color as the color of the background by performing imageprocessing of final pages of the content. In FIG. 8, a boxed area 880indicated with dotted lines may represent an area recognized as thesecond size by the content providing system. If the page 810 isunconditionally segmented based on a preset size, an image segmentationundesired by a creator may occur. Accordingly, the content providingsystem may segment the page 810 based on the recognized area, i.e., theboxed area 880, thereby segmenting a relatively large size of a pagewithin the intent of the creator and enhancing the loading performanceat the user terminal 130. If the second size of the area is notrecognized, the page 810 may be used without performing pagesegmentation.

FIG. 9 illustrates an example of automatically creating a margin on apage of content according to another exemplary embodiment. FIG. 9illustrates an example in which a page 910 includes two display areas911 and 912 and a speech balloon area 913 is included in the displayarea 912. Here, the remaining area 914 excluding the speech balloon area913 in the display area 912 has the same color as the color of thebackground of the page 910.

In this example, the content providing system recognizes at least thepreset size of an area having the same color as the color of thebackground and may remove the recognized area. For example, theremaining area 914 may also be recognized as an image, therebyincreasing the resource size of the final image. That is, the contentproviding system may recognize and remove the remaining area 914 fromthe page 910. In this case, the remaining area 914 may be filled withthe background. As described above, since the color of the remainingarea 914 is the same as the color of the background, the remaining area914 would be displayed along with the rest of the page 910. However,since a margin is created by removing an image corresponding to theremaining area 914 by the content providing system, the size of thefinal image may be reduced.

Here, the background may include a background of a webpage on whichcontent is displayed. For example, when displaying content such aswebtoons through a webpage, a removed area of a page may be filled withthe background of the webpage. That is, a marginal portion may berepresented using the same color as a color of the background of thewebpage. Thus, the final image viewed by a user may be the same, whereasthe size of the final image may be reduced by a margin created byremoving an image. Accordingly, it is possible to reduce the networkusage rate and to enhance the loading performance.

Further, as described above, content may be provided to the user throughan exclusive tool. In this example, the color of a background set to theexclusive tool may be displayed on the marginal portion. As describedabove, the color of the background to be displayed on the marginalportion may be expanded to the color of a background of a service pageon which the content is displayed.

FIG. 10 illustrates another example of automatically creating a marginaccording to yet another embodiment. FIG. 10 illustrates an example inwhich a first page 1010 includes a background 1011 in black and an imageincluding a speech balloon on a display area. Here, the image includesat least a preset size of a white area 1012.

In this example, the content providing system recognizes at least thepreset size of the white area 1012 and removes the recognized white area1012 from the final image when creating content. Here, the first page1010 may be replaced with a second page 1020 by displaying the removedwhite area 1012 using a black color that is the same as the background1011 of the page 1010.

In this instance, the content providing system changes the color of thebackground 1011 with the color of the removed area. In this example, thesecond page 1020 may be replaced with the third page 1030. Here, thesize of an image on the display area may be reduced in response toremoving the white area 1012. That is, a resource size of the finalimage may be reduced.

Even in this case, the background 1011 may include a background of awebpage on which content is displayed. According to the exampleembodiments, since the color of the background of the webpage is changedto be the same as the original color of the removed area, it is possibleto reduce the network usage rate and to enhance the loading performanceof the final image while providing the same content.

As described above, according to example embodiments, the color of thebackground may be expanded to the color of the background of a servicepage on which content is displayed.

FIG. 11 is a block diagram illustrating a content providing systemaccording to one exemplary embodiment, and FIG. 12 is a flowchartillustrating a content providing method performed by the contentproviding system of FIG. 11. Referring to FIG. 11, the content providingsystem 1100 includes one or more computing devices, such as a server,that include a processor 1110, a bus 1120, a network interface 1130, anda memory 1140. The memory 1140 includes an operating system (OS) 1141and a content providing routine 1142. The processor 1110 includescomputer-readable instructions for specially programming the processor1110 as a page configurer 1111, a motion effect setter 1112, and a layermerger 1113. According to other embodiments, the content providingsystem 1100 may include a greater or lesser number of constituentelements than the number of constituent elements shown in FIG. 11.However, there is no need to clearly illustrate many constituentelements according to the related art. For example, the contentproviding system 1100 may include other constituent elements such as adisplay, a transceiver, etc.

The memory 1140 includes a permanent mass storage device, such as arandom access memory (RAM), a read only memory (ROM), a disc drive, asolid state drive, an optical drive, etc., as a computer-readablestorage medium. Also, program codes (e.g., computer readableinstructions) for the OS 1141, the content providing routine 1142, thecomputer readable instructions associated with the page configurer 1111,the motion effect setter 1112, and/or the layer merger 1113, etc., maybe stored in the memory 1140. Such software constituent elements may beloaded from another computer-readable storage medium separate from thememory 1140 using a drive mechanism (not shown). The othercomputer-readable storage medium may include, for example, a floppydrive, a disc, a tape, a DVD/CD-ROM drive, a memory card, etc. Softwareconstituent elements may be loaded to the memory 1140 through thenetwork interface 1130 instead of, or in addition to, the othercomputer-readable storage medium. For example, the content providingroutine 1142 may be loaded to the memory 1140 through a programinstalled by files provided from developers over a network.

The bus 1120 enables communication and data transmission between theconstituent elements of the content providing system 1100. The bus 1120may be configured using a high-speed serial bus, a parallel bus, astorage area network (SAN), and/or another appropriate communicationtechnology.

The network interface 1130 may be a computer hardware constituentelement for connecting the content providing system 1100 to the computernetwork. The network interface 1130 may connect the content providingsystem 1100 to the computer network through a wireless and/or wiredconnection.

The processor 1110 may be configured to process computer-readableinstructions of a computer program by performing basic arithmeticoperations, logic operations, and input/output operations of the contentproviding system 1100. The computer-readable instructions may beprovided from the memory 1140 and/or the network interface 1130 to theprocessor 1110 through the bus 1120. The processor 1110 is configured toexecute program codes for the page configurer 1111, the motion effectsetter 1112, and/or the layer merger 1113. The program codes may bestored in a storage device such as the memory 1140, for example, in thecontent providing routine 1142.

When executed by the processor 1110, the page configurer 1111, themotion effect setter 1112, and/or the layer merger 1113 transform theprocessor 1110 into a special purpose processor configured to performoperations 1210 through 1230 of FIG. 12.

The content providing system 1100 may correspond to the creator terminal110 of FIG. 1 creating content through an authoring tool, or may be themedia 120 of FIG. 2 creating content through a web authoring tool.

In operation 1210, the page configurer 1111 configures a page thatincludes a plurality of layers. Herein, to achieve merging of layers, apage including two or more layers is employed instead of a pageincluding a single layer. Each of the layers may include a layer imageto be displayed on the page. The layer image may be provided in a formof a text.

In operation 1220, the motion effect setter 1112 sets a motion effect tobe applied to at least one layer among the plurality of layers includedin the page. The motion effect may include an action to be applied to alayer image based on a preset condition when the page is displayed on ascreen. A variety of effects, such as a sound effect, a vibration of amobile device, etc., may be applicable to the layer or the page. Here, adisplay effect associated with merging layers may be a motion effect,such as movement, rotation, appearance and disappearance of an image.

In operation 1230, the layer merger 1113 merges consecutive layers amongremaining general layers excluding a layer to which the motion effect isset from among the plurality of layers included in the page whencreating the content including the page. For example, the layer merger1113 may verify layers sequentially from the bottom layer to the toplayer or from the top layer to the bottom layer among the plurality oflayers, may create a single merged image by merging consecutive generallayers to which the motion effect is not set, and may create a layer towhich the motion effect is set into an individual image. An example ofcreating merged images and individual images is described with referenceto FIG. 5 and thus, further description related thereto will be omittedhere.

Although not illustrated, the content providing method may, selectively,further include creating a final image in which the merged images andthe individual images are stacked in order of the layers. The orders oflayers are important since the top layer may cover a portion of or allof the bottom layer. Accordingly, the created images may be stacked inorder of the layers and the bottom layer may be displayed using amarginal portion of the top layer. This operation may be performed by afinal image creator 1114 further includable in the processor 1110.

By merging layers to which the motion effect is not set, it is possibleto reduce the resource size of the final image and, accordingly, reducethe network usage amount, and to enhance the loading performance at theuser terminal 130.

In addition, although not illustrated, the content providing method may,selectively, further include recognizing the second size of an areahaving the same color as the color of a background from the page whenthe size of the page is greater than or equal to a first size andsegmenting the page based on the recognized area. A method of segmentingan area having the same color as a color of a background is describedabove with reference to FIG. 8 and thus, a further description relatedthereto will be omitted here. These operations may be performed by abackground recognizer 1115 and a page segmenter 1116 further includablein the processor 1110.

As described above, since at least a preset size of a page is segmentedin association with a color of a background, it is possible to enhancethe loading performance at the user terminal 130 within the intent of acreator.

FIG. 13 is a block diagram illustrating a content providing systemaccording to another exemplary embodiment, and FIG. 14 is a flowchartillustrating a content providing method performed by the contentproviding system of FIG. 13.

Referring to FIG. 13, the content providing system 1300 includes aprocessor 1310, a bus 1320, a network interface 1330, and a memory 1340.The bus 1320, the network interface 1330 and the memory 1340 correspondin function to the bus 1120, the network interface 1130, and the memory1140 of the content providing system 1100 of FIG. 11, respectively, andthus, a repeated description is omitted.

The processor 1310 includes computer-readable instructions for speciallyprogramming the processor 1310 as a page configurer 1311, a marginalarea recognizer 1312, and a reconfigurer 1313, and if necessary, mayfurther include a background color changer 1314. The constituentelements included in the processor 1310 are configured to performoperations 1410 through 1440 of FIG. 14.

In operation 1410, the page configurer 1311 configures a page to beincluded in content. The “page” used herein may refer to a page thatincludes a plurality of layers and may refer to a page of an image thatincludes a single layer.

In operation 1420, the marginal area recognizer 1312 recognizes an areathat is configured using a single color and has a size greater than orequal to a preset size by analyzing the final image that configures thepage.

In operation 1430, the reconfigurer 1313 reconfigures the final image byremoving the recognized area. As described above with reference to FIGS.9 and 10, it is possible to reduce the resource size of the final imageby recognizing and removing the area configured using the same color.

Here, when a single color is the same as the color of a background setto a service page on which the content is displayed, the color of thebackground of the service page may be displayed on a margin created bysimply removing the recognized area. Thus, it is possible to display thesame image without a special change and while reducing the size of theimage.

In operation 1440, when the single color is different from the color ofthe background set to the service page on which the content isdisplayed, the background color changer 1314 may change the color of thebackground set to the service page with the single color, for example, acolor of the removed area. That is, the changed color of the backgroundmay be displayed on the margin created by removing the recognized area.Since the changed color is the color of the removed area, it is possibleto provide a user with the same content while reducing the size of theimage. Operation 1440 may be selectively included in the contentproviding method based on example embodiments.

Further, although not illustrated, the content providing method may,selectively, further include recognizing the second size of an areahaving the same color as the color of the background when the size ofthe page is greater than or equal to the present first size andsegmenting the page based on the recognized second size of the area. Amethod of segmenting a page based on an area having the same color asthe color of a background is described above with reference to FIG. 8and thus, a further description related thereto will be omitted here.These operations may be performed by a background recognizer 1315 and apage segmenter 1316 further includable in the processor 1310.

As described above, since at least the preset size of a page issegmented in association with the color of a background, it is possibleto enhance the loading performance at the user terminal 130 within theintent of a creator.

According to example embodiments, it is possible to provide contentincluding a motion effect by applying the motion effect to at least onelayer on a page having a plurality of layers, and to enhance the loadingperformance of providing content and to reduce the network usage rate bymerging layers to which the motion effect is not applied into a singleimage.

Also, according to example embodiments, it is possible to configurecontent by automatically recognizing the preset size of an area havingthe same color as a color of a background and by automaticallysegmenting and, thereby, storing a page based on the recognized areawhen the size of the page is greater than or equal to the preset size.

Also, according to example embodiments, it is possible to reduce theresource size of the final image and the network usage rate, and toenhance the loading performance by removing a specific color of an areafrom the final image and by providing content to display the color of abackground set to a service page on which content such as webtoons isdisplayed through the removed area, when the preset size of an areahaving the specific color is present on the final image.

The foregoing description has been provided for purposes of illustrationand description. It is not intended to be exhaustive or to limit thedisclosure. Individual elements or features of a particular exampleembodiment are generally not limited to that particular embodiment, but,where applicable, are interchangeable and can be used in a selectedembodiment, even if not specifically shown or described. The same mayalso be varied in many ways. Such variations are not to be regarded as adeparture from the disclosure, and all such modifications are intendedto be included within the scope of the disclosure.

What is claimed is:
 1. A method, executed on at least one computer, forproviding content on a service page on a display, the method comprising:configuring a content page having an area with at least one object andan area without an object, to be included in content; displaying thecontent page on the service page on the display; recognizing an area ofthe content page having a single color by analyzing a final image thatconfigures the content page; determining whether the single color of therecognized area of the content page is a same as a color of the servicepage; and segmenting the final image into multiple content pages byremoving the recognized area of the content page when the single colorof the recognized area is the same as the color of the service page, sothat the color of the service page is displayed through the recognizedarea removed from the content page.
 2. The method of claim 1, furthercomprising reconfiguring the final image by removing the recognized areaand changing the color of the service page to the color of therecognized area when the single color of the recognized area isdifferent from the color of the service page.
 3. The method of claim 2,wherein when the single color of the recognized area is different fromthe color of the service page, the changed color of the service page isdisplayed through a margin created by removing the recognized area. 4.The method of claim 1, wherein the segmenting of the final image isperformed in response to a size of the content page being greater thanor equal to a preset first size.
 5. The method of claim 1, wherein theservice page is a webpage.
 6. A non-transitory computer-readable mediumstoring a program to implement a content providing method for providingcontent on a service page on a display, the program enabling at leastone computer to perform the steps comprising: configuring a content pagehaving an area with at least one object and an area without an object,to be included in content; displaying the content page on the servicepage on the display; recognizing an area of the content page having asingle color by analyzing a final image that configures the contentpage; determining whether the single color of the recognized area of thecontent page is a same as a color of the service page; and segmentingthe final image into multiple content pages by removing the recognizedarea of the content page when the single color of the recognized area isthe same as the color of the service page, so that the color of theservice page is displayed through the recognized area removed from thecontent page.
 7. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6,wherein the content providing method further comprises reconfiguring thefinal image by removing the recognized area and changing the color ofthe service page to the color of the recognized area when the singlecolor of the recognized area is different from the color of the servicepage.
 8. The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 7, whereinwhen the single color of the recognized area is different from the colorof the service page, the changed color of the service page is displayedthrough a margin created by removing the recognized area.
 9. Thenon-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein thesegmenting of the final image is performed in response to the size ofthe content page being greater than or equal to a preset first size. 10.The non-transitory computer-readable medium of claim 6, wherein servicepage is a webpage.
 11. A content providing system, executed on at leastone computer, for providing content on a service page on a display, thesystem comprising: a page configurer configured to configure a contentpage to be included in content, and display the content page on theservice page on the display; a marginal area recognizer configured torecognize an area of the content page having a single color by analyzinga final image that configures the content page, and determine whetherthe single color of the recognized area of the content page is a same asa color of the service page; and a reconfigurer configured to segmentthe final image into multiple content pages by removing the recognizedarea of the content page when the single color of the recognized area isthe same as the color of the service page, so that the color of theservice page is displayed through the recognized area removed from thecontent page.
 12. The content providing system of claim 11, wherein thereconfigurer configured to reconfigure the final image reconfigures thefinal image by removing the recognized area and changing the color ofthe service page to the color of the recognized area when the singlecolor of the recognized area is different from the color of the servicepage.
 13. The content providing system of claim 12, wherein when thesingle color of the recognized area is different from the color of theservice page, the changed color of the service page is displayed througha margin created by removing the recognized area.
 14. The contentproviding system of claim 11, wherein the segmenting of the final imageis performed in response to a size of the content page being greaterthan or equal to a preset first size.
 15. The content providing systemof claim 11, wherein the service page is a webpage.